Thank you for your interest in the ECFVG program at the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences located at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ames, Iowa

This program is offered for individuals to prepare for the Clinical Proficiency Exam (CPE) to fulfill the requirement for the ECFVG (Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates) certification program through the American Veterinary Medical Association. Successful applicants will rotate through approximately 28 weeks of supervised clinical rotations at the Iowa State University Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences/Veterinary Medical Center. While no formal grades or University credit is awarded, participants are evaluated at the end of each rotation and continued participation is dependent upon satisfactory performance in each rotation.

Application Procedure

Applicants must complete the following steps to be considered for the ECFVG program. To obtain forms and application materials, please see contact information below.

• Applicant must submit a letter from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) as proof that they are registered in the AVMA’s ECFVG Certification Program and have completed Steps 1, 2, and 3.
• Submit a completed ISU ECFVG Application Form, Letter of Intent and Curriculum Vitae
• Submit a notarized copy of their veterinary diploma or its equivalent and a notarized copy of their transcript including all courses taken during professional training (must provide English translation, if necessary).
• A letter from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) stating that the applicant has passed the ECFVG Specific Basic and Clinical Sciences Exam (BCSE) which includes the date taken and score received.
• Applicants must be fluent in both written and spoken English. Results of the TOEFL/TSE/TWE (or IELTS) examinations must be submitted with the application, when applicable.
• Three (3) letters of recommendation, sent directly to us, by individuals who can adequately evaluate the applicant’s clinical abilities.

You must provide evidence of legal residency within the U.S. for the duration of the program. Only U.S. citizens or those holding appropriate visas or permits will be considered. We are unable to provide support for OPT.

Applicants that do not meet the application requirements will not be considered.

We review only applicants who have completed Step 3 and have experience working at a U.S.A. or Canadian veterinary hospital. We strongly recommend hands-on experience (either work experience or volunteering) of 20-30 hours or more per week with a North American educated veterinarian for one year or more.

Because of limited space, selection will be competitive and is based on the following criteria: exam scores, grade point, letters of reference and experience. ECFVG applicants being considered for admittance to this program must attend an interview, at their expense, with the ECFVG Committee for final acceptance into the program.

Application Deadlines

There are no application deadlines as our program accepts new participants throughout the year, when space is available. There are no application fees.

Program Details

The CPE Instructional Program is designed to provide clinical training for foreign veterinary graduates preparing for the AVMA Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE). Clinical rotations include: Internal Medicine, Community Practice, Small Animal Surgery (orthopedics and soft tissue), Neurology, Production Medicine, Equine Medicine and Equine Surgery, Radiology, Anesthesia, Clinical Pathology, Public Health, Necropsy, and Clinical Microbiology. Elective rotations may be added to the program for an additional fee (when space is available) upon approval of the program director. ECFVG Participants are required to participate in night and emergency duty as required. Participants will receive a written evaluation at the end of each rotation. If a poor or failing evaluation is received, the participant will need to repeat the rotation at no additional cost. If a participant receives 3 failing evaluations, they are immediately dismissed from the program. Please note that no letter grades or university credit are awarded for this program. Participants who successfully complete this training program will be awarded a certificate of completion by the Iowa State University Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.

Cost

The program fee is $26,600 (950/week) for the 28 week program (equal to the out-of-state tuition rate of the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine). The Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences reserves the right to change the ECFVG program fee when deemed necessary. Please call 515-294-2531 to verify the current rate. If accepted into the program, you will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of $2,500 to hold your position, which will be credited to your program fee. The remainder of the program fee is payable in two increments with $13,300 due at the beginning of your program and the balance due prior to starting the second half of your program. You may elect to pay the entire program fee at the beginning of your program. If you voluntarily withdraw from the program or are dismissed for academic or disciplinary problems, you will be financially responsible for programs fees for all completed rotations. ECFVG participants are not Iowa State University students and are not eligible for student benefits, student housing, student financial aid or loans, etc. Selected candidates are personally responsible for all financial aspects of participation in the program (i.e. program fees, housing, parking, medical insurance, rabies vaccines, etc.). It is preferable that you have your rabies vaccine prior to starting the program. Participants are to provide their own instruments and uniforms as required by the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences as outlined in the VCS/VTH Rules Policies and Procedures Handbook. The University provides no liability insurance and accepts no liability for the actions of these participants or the death or injury to these participants. Each participant will be required to accept and sign a liability release statement.

Contact information

For additional information on the ECFVG program and application forms:

AVMA ECFVG Program
Phone: 800-248-2862
e-mail: mbarbosa@avma.org
Website: avma.org/education/ecfvg/

ISU Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences contact:

Sandy Popelka
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
1600 S. 16th St. Room 1804
Ames, IA 50011-1250
Phone: 515-294-2531
Fax: 515-294-8476
e-mail: spopelka@iastate.edu